Climate emergency and impacts on agriculture
Climate change is directly affecting the agricultural sector. In 2024, French agriculture experienced one of its worst years in half a century, with cereal and wine harvests particularly affected.
In particular, the soft wheat harvest fell by almost a quarter compared to 2023, with 26.3 million tonnes harvested. It has been one of the 3 worst harvests in 40 years.
Soils are also put to the test by the vagaries of the weather. They are undergoing increased erosion and a deterioration in their quality. According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, soils lose an average of 1.5 tons of land per hectare each year due to water runoff.
Access to water also remains a major concern for farmers. In 2024, 39 departments were subject to measures to restrict water withdrawals as of 23 August. Agricultural irrigation was particularly concerned.
>> To read : Agrivoltaics and water management: discover our exclusive guide created with Réussir
Increasing pessimism among farmers
In just one year, farmers' pessimism increased by 6 points to 40%. This feeling is particularly pronounced among sheep and goat producers (50%, +16 points) and field crop producers (40%, +7 points).
The loss of production due to climatic hazards remains a concern for 34% of respondents. In addition, half of farmers place the reduction of working hours among their priorities. Unfortunately, the climate and economic context does not always allow them to achieve this objective, which can amplify their discomfort.
Agriculture has always been able to meet challenges
Agriculture must therefore meet numerous challenges related to climate change. However, it is a sector that has always been able to weather crises and adapt. Today, farmers are at the forefront of developing innovative solutions. They have even become fully-fledged players in the energy transition in France.
Farmers actors in the energy transition
France has adopted a national strategy to achieve carbon neutrality while strengthening its energy sovereignty. It provides guidelines in all sectors of activity. Agriculture has an indispensable role to play, since its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must fall by 46% by 2050.
Carbon neutrality, a question of balance
The European Parliament defines carbon neutrality as follows:” the balance between carbon emissions and the absorption of carbon from the atmosphere by carbon sinks ”.
A carbon sink is a system capable of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon in a sustainable manner. In agriculture, hedgerows and permanent grasslands are carbon sinks. Limited tillage (direct sowing, no ploughing, etc.) or the establishment of plant cover between two crops also promote carbon sequestration in the soil.
Agrivoltaics : one of the solutions to decarbonize France
To achieve its carbon neutrality goals, the country therefore encourages agricultural practices that emit fewer GHGs. This is the case of organic farming or agro-ecology. Agro-ecology includes agricultural practices that combine productivity, respect for the environment and resilience in the face of climate change. Examples: reduction of tillage, crop associations, ecological pest management...
The plan also provides for the development of the bioeconomy, i.e. the living economy. This approach is based on the use of renewable resources to provide energy and materials that emit fewer GHGs. It is in this perspective that agrivoltaics comes in. Its development is all the more desirable as the French energy mix must be completely carbon-free in 2050.
>> To read : French energy strategy and the deployment of renewable energies
Producing green energy locally with agrivoltaics
The energy mix is also necessary to guarantee energy independence in the regions. Integration into electrical networks becomes possible thanks to the injection of locally produced energy. By hosting an agrivoltaic project on their plots, farmers therefore participate in stabilizing and better distributing electricity on their territory.
Likewise, farms that self-consume their energy production become more independent of fossil fuels and their energy costs are reduced. The support of public policies (subsidies, support, etc.) make it a technology of the future in the region.
The farmer, a renewable energy producer
The job of a farmer is above all to produce food goods. In addition to this main activity, it has also become, over the past fifteen years, a producer of green energy. On his farm, he has in fact available areas to deploy renewable energies.
Thus, agrivoltaics is emerging as a promising innovation, reconciling agricultural production and green energy production. The law for the acceleration of renewable energy production (APER) defines it as follows:” an electricity production installation using the sun's radiative energy and whose modules are located on an agricultural plot, where they contribute sustainably to the installation, maintenance or development of agricultural production ”.
The objective of the APER law is to develop agrivoltaics on 43,600 ha by 2028 in France. This represents 0.2% of the useful agricultural area.
>> To read : The regulatory framework for agrivoltaics to preserve French agriculture
Farmers are committed to the energy transition through agrivoltaics
Agrivoltaics represents an opportunity for agriculture, and offers farmers solutions to deal with the impacts of climate change.
Regulations built with the agricultural profession
The APER law introduces precautions against the risks of artificialization of agricultural land. It is mandatory to maintain agricultural activity under the photovoltaic panels, which cannot cover more than 40% of the plot. This double valorization of agricultural land optimizes the use of areas by allowing the production of carbon-free electricity. Farmers thus generate an additional source of income.
The regulations on agrivoltaics were put in place in consultation with the agricultural profession. The latter ultimately welcomes a law that preserves land and agricultural activity. However, it remains vigilant when it comes to the implementation of agrivoltaic solutions. The vocation of a farmer is also to ensure the sustainability of his most precious asset.
Crops protected thanks to shading
The micro-climate under the shade of the solar panels offers a reduction of 1 to 2°C during hot and sunny days. By protecting crops against high temperatures, agrivoltaics limits evapotranspiration and plant water stress.
For example, the year was hot and dry in 2022 in Amance (71). On the agrivoltaic demonstrator followed by the developer TSE, - 75% of days of water stress over the entire cycle were observed under the agricultural canopy.
In 2024, the year was exceptional for TSE demonstrators from Amance, Verdonnet and Brouchy. Rainfall was significant, with low light radiation and few temperature extremes. A slight decrease in yield was observed under high-rise agrivoltaic installations (agricultural canopy) compared to control areas.
On the other hand, in Souleuvre-en-Bocage, in Calvados, the climatic conditions of 2024 were similar to previous years. In August, the hottest month, the yield under the agricultural canopy reached twice the yield in the control area.
>> To read : Optimized agricultural crop yield thanks to agrivoltaics
Livestock protected from heat stress
Heatwave episodes cause extreme discomfort to animals during the summer. For dairy cows, for example, the drop in production can be significant. The cause: the energy deficit caused by a decrease in ingestion and ruminal instability. To estimate this stress, we use the THI* index, which combines temperatures and relative humidity. The THI therefore makes it possible to assess the comfort of animals. Above a certain threshold, animals are under mild (78), moderate (78 to 88) or severe stress (greater than 88). To reduce this stress, it is necessary to act either on the temperature or on the relative humidity.
According to a study conducted by Idele (Institute of Livestock), the shading of photovoltaic panels reduces the heat stress of dairy cows grazing during the summer. Of course, the height of the panels should be sufficient so as not to interfere with the animals. In this case, milk production performance, in terms of quantity and quality, is not affected. Far from hampering agricultural production, agrivoltaics is a lever for agriculture that is more resilient and adapted to climate change.
Farmers who reason their crop choices
Jean Dayde, former deputy director of the Purpan Agricultural Engineering School, retired, underlines” The effectiveness of agrivoltaics to protect crops during extreme weather events ”. He says that rotation and technical itineraries must be considered globally. The choice of species to be cultivated and the associated itineraries are strategic choices for embarking on agrivoltaics.
>>To read: Agrivoltaics in France: what are the advantages for agriculture?
Agrivoltaics offers a fixed, regular and long-term income that helps the farmer to cover the fixed costs of his operation. At a time when climate hazards are becoming more and more extreme, this diversification contributes to securing exploitation.
The predictable income generated by this activity also facilitates access to bank loans. The farmer can thus invest in new agricultural equipment.
Energy and climate: the farmer is part of the solution
To conclude, farmers are key players in the energy transition. Their role is no longer limited to food production. They contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources and to the production of renewable energy. With agrivoltaics, they contribute to reducing GHGs and strengthen the resilience of their farms in the face of climate hazards. They are part of the solution to strengthen energy sovereignty in France, and to mitigate the climate changes that affect them on a daily basis.
* THI: temperature humidity index
Sources:
Fidocl — heat stress in cows
INRAE - Agriculture in the face of climate change. What impacts and what solutions?
Senate, Agriculture facing the challenge of energy production
FNSEA — Decrees on agrivoltaics: the FNSEA welcomes a major advance for the profession
IDELE, Agrivoltaics applied to the breeding of ruminants.
Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition - National Low Carbon Strategy
PRISM 2024 barometer: understanding farmers' fears and anger
https://www.reussir.fr/sondage-10-chiffres-pour-comprendre-letat-desprit-des-agriculteurs
https://www.terre-net.fr/moisson/article/870099/la-recolte-2024-de-ble-tendre-s-annonce-comme-la-pire-depuis-40-ans
https://www.lafranceagricole.fr/irrigation/article/870930/des-restrictions-de-prelevements-d-eau-dans-39-departements
